Two-year Community College Degree Could Lead to Job in Criminal Justice Field

CALAIS _ A two-year associate’s degree in Criminal Justice could lead to a variety of jobs including work as a police officer or a corrections official.

Or how would you like to be a detective, criminal investigator, or a forensic science technician?

At the state and county level there are jobs in Probation and Parole as well as a need for Juvenile Intake Workers, among others. There are even jobs at the national level in Homeland Security or the U.S. Border Patrol.

Washington County Community College in collaboration with Central Maine Community College in Auburn is offering the two-year Applied Science Degree in Criminal Justice. To apply, students must be a high school graduate or have their GED. “CMCC is going to satellite their criminal justice program here at WCCC,” said Susan Mingo, dean of enrollment and student services. “It begins this fall.”

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The program has been structured so that some of the classes will be taken on campus, while others will be handled either online or through poly-communication. “Once they complete the two-year course, students will graduate from Central Maine Community College with an associate’s degree in Applied Science,” she added.

And the courses sound interesting and include everything from criminal law and report writing to criminal investigation, police operations, criminology, victimology, and civil liberties, just to name a few.

The curriculum has been designed for everyone including those individuals who work full-time and want to be part-time students. Live in-class instructions will be held in the evening with area law enforcement personnel serving as adjunct faculty, while online courses can be taken anytime. And, for those individuals who do not have a computer or do not have online services, such services are available in the library at the college.

The two-year degree also can lead to a four-year diploma. “This program has been designed to prepare students who want to continue their education and get their bachelor’s degree. Students can transfer to a university for a criminal justice baccalaureate degree,” she said.

Or students can apply for a job.

Throughout Maine and across the country there is a demand for trained criminal justice professionals. Mingo said that she has spoken with law enforcement officials about the proposed program. “We had some advisory council meetings with the local police departments and law enforcement agencies and they are very excited about having this program here at WCCC,” she said.

Anyone who would like to apply can call for an application packet or pick one up at the college. Admissions counselors are available to answer any questions at (207) 454-1000.